I’ve always been a positive person but parenting a child with special needs has reframed how I approach optimism into one of living life with pragmatic positive thinking. I recently saw this tweet from educational consultant Doctor Marcia Tate on Twitter. She stated that “being positive doesn’t mean you ignore or lie to yourself aboutContinue reading “Living with Pragmatic Positive Thinking”
Category Archives: wellbeing
Loving and Supporting the Often Misunderstood Special Needs Child
While standing first in line to be let in the outdoor pool, T tells me he’s peeing. I look down and sure enough, a puddle of pee on the pavement with 20 people looking at my 5-year-old. I feel mortified and I could not hold in my embarrassment. “That is disgusting, why would you doContinue reading “Loving and Supporting the Often Misunderstood Special Needs Child”
Love is Love: Celebrating Pride at Home
Pride celebrations are different this year, but its spirit is even more relevant and important. Pride was born out of protest 50 years ago, from communities saying enough was enough. Activists and allies paved the way so that today, we – at least in our part of the world – can love who we wantContinue reading “Love is Love: Celebrating Pride at Home”
Fathers Day Reflections: 5 Favourite Moments So Far
The hubby and I are celebrating our fifth Fathers’ Day this weekend. Time sure does fly! I’ve written openly about the ups and downs of raising a child with great potential and challenging needs since launching this blog in December. This weekend, it’s all about celebrating the positive and favourite moments on this unpredictable andContinue reading “Fathers Day Reflections: 5 Favourite Moments So Far”
“I’ll Never Give Up On You…”
One day, in the early weeks of lockdown, I was so worn down and T was out of control. In a fit of anger, I yelled to the hubby, “I‘d never have adopted if I knew it was going to be like this!” I regretted it as soon as those hurtful words left my mouth.Continue reading ““I’ll Never Give Up On You…””
Saying Thanks For Things I’m Grateful For
T’s teacher gave a wonderful assignment that asked T to watch a video explaining what gratitude is and to create a thank you card for something he was grateful for. The hubby and T worked together to create a simple card (pictured below) and T said he was thankful for the playground, even though itContinue reading “Saying Thanks For Things I’m Grateful For”
Lessons I Learned About Parenting from Ma
They say that children are always watching and learning from their parents. One memory I have of Ma that has made a lasting impression is from when I was a teenager and Ma came home and told us she was unemployed. For context, my parents lived in the Philippines where I was born and spentContinue reading “Lessons I Learned About Parenting from Ma”
To Our Son’s Birth Mom on Mother’s Day – Thank You
Every Mothers Day, T’s teachers create crafts with the kids to take home to their moms. As T has two dads, the hubby and I alternate giving the craft to our moms every year. We know about T’s birth mother and it is a story we are prepared to share with T when he asksContinue reading “To Our Son’s Birth Mom on Mother’s Day – Thank You”
“Papa, you’re my hero.” – Heartfilling Moments In Isolation
I feel worn down from this self isolation marathon and on some days, it is hard to remember the many positives. What I find so difficult is this unsustainable balance to work and take care and school our T. Two very different full time jobs compressed into time allowed for one. The level of anxiety,Continue reading ““Papa, you’re my hero.” – Heartfilling Moments In Isolation”
Self Care in a Pandemic for the Special Needs Parents
The one thing I often half joke about is that T can have a full blown meltdown without consequences, while us adults have to be more dignified about our emotions. Well, midway through this week, I had a grown up meltdown. My bottled up stress of the pressure to keep up T’s schooling, my work,Continue reading “Self Care in a Pandemic for the Special Needs Parents”
Sharing A Little Love, Hope and Cheer on Our Windows
We started drawing art on our windows to share cheer and positive energy with our neighbours. We used washable markers that we ordered from Amazon and got the idea from a neighbour down the street. Our time and energy is admittedly all focused on T and our work, so we don’t get to focus moreContinue reading “Sharing A Little Love, Hope and Cheer on Our Windows”
Discussing Feelings and Building Empathy
“You can only understand people if you feel them in yourself.” – John Steinbeck For all the anxiety and exhaustion our little T often causes us, one consistent strength we can always count on is his caring nature. Last summer, during an after dinner outing to the playground, an older boy, who must’ve been nineContinue reading “Discussing Feelings and Building Empathy”
Cooking & Finding Calm in Isolation
“Life itself is the proper binge.” – Julia Child Cooking is something I enjoy. I’m not artful at it, but I like to try to new recipes or to recreate childhood comforts. In the three weeks that we’ve been in isolation, I’ve been cooking more. It brings me calm to be in the kitchen silentlyContinue reading “Cooking & Finding Calm in Isolation”
“Go for it. Step on all the puddles!”
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” – Heraclitus It’s been two weeks since we’ve started our self isolation, when everything came to a standstill. I am thankful my family is safe and healthy and that we’ve only been lightly inconvenienced.Continue reading ““Go for it. Step on all the puddles!””
Supporting My Little One During These Challenging Times
“Even a happy life has a sad day. We fail to provide a context which says it’s okay to cry, it’s okay to be sad.” – Marianne Williamson Against the backdrop of a beautiful warm Spring afternoon, our little T finally broke down in tears for the first time since our self isolation started. TheContinue reading “Supporting My Little One During These Challenging Times”
Celebrating My Birthday in Self Isolation
“There is still no cure for the common birthday.” – John Glenn Today is the first time – and hopefully only time in a hopefully long life to still unfold – that I will celebrate my birthday in self isolation during a global pandemic. Schools are closed but supposed to be officially back in businessContinue reading “Celebrating My Birthday in Self Isolation”
Evening Walks with My Little One Are the Best Part of My Day
“Freedom: To walk free and own no superior.” – Walt Whitman Spring is not officially here till next weekend but you can feel it in the air. We just had our first warm sunny weekend. Families and kids came out of winter hibernation to play in our park. My evening walks with T, which weContinue reading “Evening Walks with My Little One Are the Best Part of My Day”
Celebrating 17 Years with the Hubby
“It’s been a while.” – Britney Spears, Break the Ice Anniversaries are important to me. I celebrate these milestones to remind us where we’ve come from and of the journey still ahead. March 8 is the day that the hubby and I started dating 17 years ago. It was around 3 in the morning, inContinue reading “Celebrating 17 Years with the Hubby”
Love You Forever
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud… It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” – 1 Corinthians, 13:4-7 Among the many wonderful books we’ve been gifted by family and friends for T’s personal library are those written by Canadian author Robert Munsch. HeContinue reading “Love You Forever”
Sharing A Love of the Outdoors with Our Son
“The ghostly winter silence had given way to the great spring murmur of awakening life.” – Jack London, The Call of the Wild. This Canadian winter feels forever. It’s now the time when registration for summer camp sites opens and it makes me long for hiking through forests, swimming in lakes, and eating campfire food.Continue reading “Sharing A Love of the Outdoors with Our Son”
My Life With T 